For cosmetic purposes, colored contact lenses having one or more colorants dispersed in the lens or printed on the lens are in high demand. These colored contact lenses enhance the natural beauty of the eye, or provide unique patterns on the iris of the wearer, or provide non-cosmetic patterns.
In general, there are two types of colored contact lenses. The first are contact lenses which use essentially transparent enhancement colors that allow the color of the natural iris to show through but combine with that natural color to produce a new appearance. Such transparent colored lenses are typically used to turn a light eye (e.g., green) to a slightly different hue (e.g., aqua). This class of colored lenses may not be able to change an underlying dark-colored brown iris to blue. The second category is the class of opaque colored lenses having a continuous opaque pattern that fully covers the iris or having an intermittent opaque pattern that does not fully cover the iris. Opaque colored contact lenses can effectively and substantially modify the wearer's eye color.
Certain contact lens consumers showed interest in enhancing their eyes without dramatically changing their natural eye color. They wanted their eyes to appear larger and more defined and with more shine, while remaining natural by blending seamlessly with the eye. However, these consumers did not want anyone to know they were wearing contact lenses, and any design would need to be natural.
Accordingly, there are still needs for colored contact lenses that are capable of making eyes larger and bolder with enhanced contrast while maintaining the wearer's natural underlying iris structure and color.